TEMPE, Greece — A passenger prepare collided with an oncoming freight prepare in northern Greece early Wednesday, killing 16 folks and injuring at the very least 85, Hearth Service officers mentioned.
A number of prepare vehicles derailed and at the very least three caught fireplace after the crash close to Tempe, some 380 kilometers (235 miles) north of Athens.
Hospital officers within the close by metropolis of Larissa mentioned at the very least 25 folks had severe accidents.
“The evacuation course of is ongoing and is being carried out underneath very tough situations because of the severity of the collision between the 2 trains,” Hearth Service spokesman Vassilis Varthakoyiannis mentioned.
Hospital items used to deal with burn victims had been alerted within the space, he mentioned, including that dozens of ambulances have been concerned within the rescue effort.
Rescuers sporting head lamps labored in thick smoke, pulling items of mangled sheet metallic from the crashed rail vehicles to seek for trapped folks.
“It was a really highly effective collision. This can be a horrible evening… It’s laborious to explain the scene,” Costas Agorastos, the regional governor of the central Thessaly space, informed state-run tv.
“The entrance part of the prepare was smashed … We’re getting cranes to return in and particular lifting gear clear the particles and carry the rail vehicles. There’s particles flung throughout the crash website.”
Authorities officers mentioned the military has been contacted to help within the rescue.
Rail operator Hellenic Practice mentioned the northbound passenger prepare from Athens to the northern metropolis of Thessaloniki had about 350 passengers on board when the collision occurred. Passengers who acquired minor accidents or have been unhurt have been transported by bus to Thessaloniki, 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of the incident.